Win leaves Naperville North looking ahead
It's natural for wrestlers and wrestling teams to think about the postseason and how the results of the regular season will be a factor. But when the conference meet is just 16 days away those thoughts speed up.
Naperville North left Neuqua Valley on Thursday night a 38-22 winner, but Huskies coach Tom Champion had the Jan. 28 DuPage Valley Conference meet on his mind.
"We wanted to see where we stood against Neuqua wrestlers that we might see again in conference," he said.
Each team won two matches where the winner was ranked or an honorable mention selection by illinoismatmen.com.
"It's a good dual meet. Mick (Ruettiger, Neuqua coach) does a great job. He's like me. He just wants them to get better," Champion said.
The meet started at 126 pounds and Neuqua got off to a big start as Jake Killacky, down 7-3 after the second period, made good on a 2-point near fall in the third to tie the bout at 7 before getting a takedown in overtime to win 9-7.
"It was a good comeback. He finally got going," Ruettiger said.
The Huskies' first victory came immediately afterward at 132 as Anthony Gallegos won by technical fall in 5:17.
Both schools each won three of the next six matches. Neuqua victories came from Jake Mahler at 138, Jacob Boumans at 160 and Tyler Cristofaro at 170. Boumans is an honorable mention pick in the state rankings of his weight class.
Naperville North victories came from Connor Davidson at 145, Teddy Deetjan at 152 and Cam Martin at 182. They led 20-13 after Martin's win.
The Huskies then rolled off three straight victories to go up 35-13 and tighten their grip on this meet. John Simmelink won by fall in 3:13, Nathan Gray (220 pounds) won a decision and Domingo Ibarra won by forfeit at 285.
Koshal Shah (106) and Dennis Murphy (120) won two of the final three matches for Neuqua. Shah won by fall in one minute and Murphy, who has an honorable mention state ranking, prevailed by decision.
In between those matches, Naperville North's Lucas Van Poucke, ranked No. 9 in the state at 113, won by decision.
"I did a lot of work in the summer. I've stayed on the same path, but it's important to add moves to the arsenal," Van Poucke said. "I need to polish my moves (as the postseason approaches) and keep what I'm doing good and get rid of what I'm doing bad."
Ruettiger thought it wasn't a good start to what is a busy weekend for Neuqua Valley.
"We did not wrestle well tonight. Give credit to Naperville North, they wrestled well," he said.
The Wildcats travel to No. 11 Wheaton North on Friday before hosting the Mega Dual on Saturday.
"It's a key part of our season," Ruettiger said.
The Huskies return to action Saturday at the Margaret Flott Invite at Kaneland.